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Mainers sign up for health insurance before deadline

WMTW News 8's Shernay Williams reports on the last-minute rush for people to enroll in health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. She spoke with a business owner about persevering with online enrollment problems, and finding coverage for less than what she paid with her previous health care.

WMTW News 8's Shernay Williams reports on the last-minute rush for people to enroll in health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. She spoke with a business owner about persevering with online enrollment problems, and finding coverage for less than what she paid with her previous health care.

Updated: 12:10 AM EDT Apr 1, 2014

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Mainers sign up for health insurance before deadline

WMTW News 8's Shernay Williams reports on the last-minute rush for people to enroll in health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. She spoke with a business owner about persevering with online enrollment problems, and finding coverage for less than what she paid with her previous health care.

WEBVTT IT'S DEADLINE DAYFOR THE UNINSURED.YOU NOW HAVELESS THAN AN HOURTO SIGN UP FORHEALTH CARECOVERAGE AND AVOIDPAYING A PENALTY.TODAY A MADRUSH TO ENROLLTHROUGH THEGOVERNMENT'S'HEALTH CARE DOTGOV' WEBSITECAUSING GLITCHES INTHE SYSTEM.WMTW NEWS 8'SSHERNAY WILLIAMS ISLIVE IN THE AUBURNSTUDIO WITH MOREON HOW MAINERS AREHANDLING THE LASTMINUTE PUSH.STEVE, WE JUSTRECEIVED AN UPDATEFROM GOVERNMENTOFFICIALS A FEWMINUTES AGO -THEY SAY THEY'REON TRACK TO HIT á7MILLIONá SIGNUPS BYMIDNIGHT.MORE THAN A 100-THOUSAND PEOPLETRIED TO USE THESYSTEM AT THE SAMETIME CAUSING ATECHNICAL PROBLEMWITH THE WEBSITETODAY.IT'S BRINGINGENROLLMENT FORMANY TO ASCREECHING HALTWHILE OTHERSCONTINUE TO PRAISETHE NEWMARKETPLACE.A MAD DASH TO GETHEALTH COVERAGE.OR AT LEAST STARTTHE PROCESSTONIGHT-ONDEADLINE DAY. CheriAnn Parris/CommunityConcepts 10:47:41 it'skind of human nature.Some people areproactive and haveenrolled weeks monthsago and there are somepeople who wait to thelast minute." 47:48BUT IN THE MIDDLEOF THE LAST MINUTERUSH WORD FROMTHE OBAMAADMINISTRATIONTHAT THE HEALTHCARE DOT GOV SITECOULDN'T HANDLETHE INCREASEDTRAFFIC. Nats of mecalling. THE HOTLINE,URGING PEOPLE TOLEAVE A PHONENUMBER TO BE ADDEDTO A WAITING LIST.THE WEBSITE ALSOSTOPPED WORKINGFOR SEVERAL HOURSTODAY. Parris 10:45:27"the website has beenon and offabout 30percent of people giveassistance too on thewebsite through thecall center." CHERIANN PARRIS WORKSAS A HEALTHCAREWEBSITE NAVIGATOR.Parris 10:45:56 havingmillions of people onsomething it will comeup with some issues."45:58 WEBSITEGLITCHES LAST YEARSTALLED LYNNEBAILEY'SAPPLICATIONPROCESS. LynneBailey/Enrolled inMarketplace 05:53 Ithink it was early onand I couldn't getbeyond a certain pointand I called the 800number and theycouldn't either but atthe end of the year inDecember, there wasno problem at all."06:03 BUT THE SMALLBUSINESS OWNERFROM YORK SAYS AFRIEND CONVINCEDHER TO CALL THEHOTLINE FOR AQUOTE NOW SHESAYS SHE'S PAYINGHALF THE RATE OFHER OLD INSURANCE.Bailey 00:03:36 Iwalked around for twodays and just andalmost chanted. I haveaffordable healthcare"03:41 A SUCCESSSTORY PARRIS SAYSIS WORTH THE WAIT.SHE'S WORKING UNTILMIDNIGHT TO GET THETENS OF THOUSANDSOF UNINSUREDPEOPLE INMAINECOVERED.Bailey 10:48:53 Just tosee the fact thatthere's a push to getpeople affordablehealthcare, I think isreally crucial and it'sdeveloping and it's astep in the rightdirection." 49:04TECHNICIANSHAVE BEEN WORKINGTO FIX THE PROBLEM.AND THEGOVERNMENT SAYSSOME USERS WILLRECEIVE EXTENSIONSIF NECESSARY.THOSE WHO STARTTHE APPLICATIONPROCESS BUT DON'TFINISH... AREALREADY RECEIVING